WELCOME TO THE GULF COAST
REGIONAL CENTER OF INNOVATION AND COMMERCIALIZATION

In June 2005, Governor Rick Perry signed House Bill 1765, creating the $200 million Texas Emerging Technology Fund (ETF).  In June 2007, the ETF program was renewed for funding awards through August 2009.

The Gulf Coast Regional Center of Innovation and Commercialization (Gulf Coast RCIC) serves the 30-county Gulf Coast region in southeast Texas (marked in blue).

The Houston Technology Center (HTC) is the Gulf Coast RCIC, partnering with the Greater Houston Partnership (GHP), Economic Development Organizations (EDOs) and universities throughout the 30-county region.

The ETF has three types of awards:

• Commercialization - for-profit Texas businesses, matching equity investments

• Research Grant Matching - for university consortia, matching non-State-of-Texas grants

• Research Superiority - for Texas public universities, providing funds for recruiting researchers of emerging technologies

Each quarter, the Gulf Coast RCIC accepts applications for ETF Commercialization Awards (subchapter D in the legislation) from businesses located within the Gulf Coast region.  The Gulf Coast RCIC reviews each application and submits applications meeting the ETF criteria to the Emerging Technology Fund Advisory Committee, appointed by the Governor.

Applicants submitting through the Gulf Coast RCIC benefit from the strong support received by the RCIC from over 240 volunteers who have served on our Review Committees and Board, with 40 to 60 volunteers serving for each funding round.  Applicants selected by the RCIC Board for consideration from the State are provided assistance from the RCIC Review Committees, Board and RCIC Staff.  Gulf Coast region Awardees have benefitted from the assistance received from our Review Committees, Board and RCIC Staff in improving their application documents and presentation before submission to the State.

Gulf Coast RCIC region Awardees are provided assistance with the commercialization of funded technologies through the Houston Technology Center's Acceleration program.

February 28, 2008 - Governor Rick Perry announces $750,000 award to OrthoAccel Technologies.

ETF awards have been announced to sixteen Gulf Coast region companies for $14,979,520.  All Gulf Coast region awardees are able to take advantage of one year of Client Services from the Houston Technology Center.  For more information on Gulf Coast region ETF Awardees, click here.